Elevator signal system or apparatus.



H. P. NEWBURY.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM OR APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00114. 1911.

1,112,379. Y 4 Patented Sept.29,1914.

Li L Z4 \l I v parat'us, of which the following is a full,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. NEWBURY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIQNOR TO- ELEVATOR SUPPLY &REPAIR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM OR APPARATUS.

the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York,

and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Elevator SignalSystem or Apclear, and exact description.

This invention relates to signal systems such as employed in theoperation of elevators.

A principal object of the invention is to provide simple means whereby apassenger intending to take a car from a floor may give a signal to allthe cars which are approaching that floor and going in the desireddirection.

A further object of the invention is to enable a signal ttybe given atthe floor where the passenger is standing indicating to him which carsare approaching that floor and going in the desired direction.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the general combination of parts andsimplicity of details hereinafter described, all of which .contribute toproduce efficient signal apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described inthe following specification, while the broad scope of my invention willbe pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating anapplication of the invention, certain parts being broken away; Fig. 2 isa horizontal cross-section through the signal apparatus which may beemployed, with the invention and located on the cars; Fig. 3 is adetail.

In the drawings to which I now refer, like letters of referencedesignate corresponding parts in the different figures. In the preferredembodimentof the invention here shown, A, A indicate the cars in whichsignal devices B, B for signaling to the operators of" the cars areplaced. In the preferred form of the invention I provide meanscorresponding to each floor and to all the cars in the elevator systemfor controlling the signals. This means preferably consists of bars orcontrollers C, C, C C by which the signals for the floors such as thetwo floors indicated may be set to enable a signal to be given; thecontrollers Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application filed October 14, 1911.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914. Serial No. 654,637.

C and C are for the upper floor, the controller C corresponding to theup direction of movement, while the controller C'corresponds to the downdirection of movement. The corresponding controllers for the lower floorare indicatedby C and C In the preferred form of the invention I providemeans for cooperating with these controllers to give the signal if thecontrollers are set. For this purpose I prefer to provide travelers orcarriages corresponding respectively to each elevator and movingcorrespondingly with each elevator. These travelers are indicated by Dand D. These travelers are preferably driven through any suitablereducing mechanism so that their movement is much reduced though corresponding to the movement of each car. As here shown, the traveler D issupposed to be moving in an upward direction, and traveler D is supposedto be moving in a downward direction, each car and traveler movingindependently of every other car and traveler. ably mounted in suitableguideways such as those indicated, and each traveler is guided therebyagainst movement in a sidewise direction.

The bars, carriers or controllers, as C, C, etc. are movable in anendwise direction to a limited extent, and preferably they are movableinto the set condition or position my means of an electro magnet,circuit, switch or push button and source of electricity, the circuitpreferably being what is commonly known as an open circuit and thesource of electricity, a battery. There is an electro magnet, circuitand passengers button such as a push button for each bar or controller.Upon pressing the push button P to energize the magnet M the armature mis attracted and the controller C is moved from its normal condition orposition against the stress of the spring S into the set condition orposition indicated, and in which it is held by the detent device Ecomposed preferably of a spring portion and a dog adapted-to hold thecontroller in the set .position. In order to restore each bar from itsset position to its natural position I prefer to provide aspring-pressed pawl I 1, arranged so as to be readily movable upon thepart F, on carriage D as it moves in one direction, but arranged so asto be held rigid therewith as These travelers are prefercontroller, as Cand forces the controller endwise; the sprmg of the detent device, as Eyields upwardly permitting the dog portion of such device to passunderneath the spring portion, when the stress of the spring S willcontinue the endwise movement of the controller until it reaches itsnormal osition. In the embodiment shown the unction of thedetentdevice Eor E is to hold its controller in the set condition or position and thefunction of the parts, as I or I, and, as c or 0* is to release thecontrollers from the action of their respective detents, as E, E, etc.and permit the springs S or S to restore the controllers to the normalpositions, in which they are held against accidental displacement by thesprings.

Each of the controllers, as C, C, etc. preferably carries, besides theparts or rollers, 0, c, 0 etc. switch devices, as H, H, H etc. each ofwhich is preferably composed of two parts, a movable lever and a pair ofcontacts which coact to ether to close a normally open circuit. hesespring terminals are pressed together by moving the lever against them,which is preferably accomplished by the action of cam surfaces, as G, G,G etc., on the travelers D and D, re-

- spectively. As the travelers D and D move 1n their ways or guides theoutermost ends of the cams F and F, contact with the levers and turnthem on their fulcrums or pivots and move them thereon, as shown atswitch device H and H When the traveler D is moving in the directionshown by the arrow thereon the lever h is moved toward the springterminals, as h, and the circuit is closed. When the traveler D ismoving in the opposite. direction, as indicated by the arrow thereon thelever, as h swings on its pivot away from the spring contacts orterminals, which are not disturbed, hence the circuit remains open andits signal device inoperative. This construction provides for theclosing of the spring terminals of each one of the switch devices inonly one direction of the movement of its coacting traveler. Theseswitch devices, as H, H, H etc., are arranged,'with the controllers .onwhich they. are mounted, for giving up and down signals at each of theintermediate floors of the building as desired, thereusually being oneswitch device for each direction of movement of each elevator car ateach of such floors.

The rollers c, c, c and c are mounted on fixed pins on the sides of thecontroller bars and. may be-disposed adjacent to the levers such as thelevers h but are not connected in any way with these levers. As the carsmove in the up or the downward direction the corresponding up or downswitch levers are actuated.

Each switch device is connected with a signal device by a circuit andsource of electricity. The floor signal devices are usually over thedoor of the shaft, there being an up and down signal device for eachintermediate floor of each elevator shaft for signaling to the intendingsenger which of the elevator cars is the first to approach the floor inthe direction for which the signal was set, that is the direction thepassenger desires to go. The switch levers, as h, 12., b etc. can onlybe actuated when the bars or controllers on which they are mounted arein set position for the reason that'when the controllers are in thenormal position the switch levers are out of the paths of the cams F, F.

In the preferred form of the invention means is provided whereby themovement of a controller bar effects the closing of the signal circuit.To this end each of the bars or controllers, as C, C, G etc. carries inaddition to the switch devices, as H, H, H etc., one member or contactof another form of switch device, as J, J, J etc., the other member orcontact of which is preferably secured to the frame of the ap aratus,the two parts being so arranged t at when the bars or controllers are intheir normal condition or position, the contacts are separated from oneanother, but when the controllers are in the set or'signal givingposition or condition they are in contact. Each of these switch devices,as J, J, J",' etc., is connected by a circuit with a signal device 0 ineach of the cars and a" source of'electricity, as Z so that. a signalmay be. given in each car, whatever its position may be, upon thecontact of the two members of any one of the switch devices.

There is preferably an up and a down signal device in each car for. eachintermediate floor. Each of these signal devices, as 0, consists of anelectro magnet, as 0, an armature as 0', and a movable cap or cover, as0 with a suitable opening as 0 in the front of the casing, as B or B,which opening is preferably filled with glass or other transparentsubstance. In the casing, as B or B, there is placed means for giving acontinuous light, preferably pasany suitable incandescent lamp or lamps.

-troller C by wire 6 back to the fixed terthrough the up signal electromagnets for that controller and switch device ineach elevator car andthence back to the stationary terminal therefor. The circuit for switchdevice, such asJ, consists of the wire 3 leading from the movableterminal thereof to the source, as Z and thence through the electromagnets o of the down signal devices of controller C by wire 4 to thefixed terminal of switch device, as J. Likewise the circuit for switchdevice, as J, consists of the wire 5 leading from the movable terminalthereof and connecting with wire 1 which leads to the source Z thencefrom such source to and through the electro magnets, as 0, of the up sinaldevice in each of the cars for the conminal of switch device, as JThe circuit for switch device, as J consists of the wire 7 leading fromthe movable terminal of that device to and connecting with the wire 3leading to the source Z thence to and through the electro magnets, as o,of the down signal devices in each of the cars for that controller bywire 8 back to the fixed terminal of switch device, as J The circuits bywhich the controllers or bars, as C, C, 0*, etc. are moved from theirnormal or inoperative condition or position to the set or operativecondition or position are as follows, there being a circuit for eachcontroller or bar with aswitch or push button device therein. Eachcontroller or bar is arranged in such relation to an elbow lever havingan armature, as m, m, m etc.

attached thereto and an electro magnet as M, M, M etc. that when thecircuit is closed its respective magnetis energized and the elbow levermovedon its fulcrum and the controller is moved from its normal to itsset or operative condition or position and its respective switch device,as J, J, J

etc. is closed and the respective up or down electro magnets, as'o, ofthe signal devices in each of the plurality of cars is.

energized and the respective caps or covers as ,0, of such devices areoperated b the armatures to which they are attached eing attractedthereby, exposing the respective openings, as 0, thereof. to the lightof the lam as N, in each casin as B or B.

T e circuit for control er C, asshown, consists of the wire 11 leadingfrom the switch or push button device, as P, to the electro magnet M andthence by wire 12 back to source Z and push button device P.

The circuit for controller 0' leads b the 'wire 13 t0 electro magnet Mand t ence back through source Z to the push button and back to sourceZ, by wire 17. The circuit for controller (3 leads from source Z by wire18 to electro ma et M and thence to push button device by wire 19 andthence to source Z by wire 15, as shown.

' The lamps, as N, in each car are preferably placed in one circuit, asshown, and connected with a source of electricity, as Z, which may becommon to other lamp circuits, if desired, also as shown. The circuitconnecting these lamps with the source, as

Z is normally closed during the use of the signal devices and elevatorcars. The circuit consists of the wire 9 leading from the lamps, as N,in each car to the source, as Z and thence by wire 10 back to the lamps,as shown. The switch devices, as H, H, H etc. are, each, as shown,substantially duplicates of one another.

The lever, such as h, which closes the switch has mounted thereon a twoarm spring, as m, seen in Fig. 3 wherein the lever is shown on asomewhat enlarged scale to better show the relation of the parts. Thistwo arm spring, as :0, always tends to hold the lever, as k, in ahorizontal position, or

substantially parallel with the controller, as C, consequently, thestress of such spring returns such lever tosuch position whenever movedin either direction by the movement of the carriage.

The circuits for the floor signals at the door of each elevator shaft oneach of the floors by which the intending passenger is signaled which isthe first approaching car going in the direction he signaled he desiredto go-are as follows; a wire 20 leads from the device H to the signallight L and thence by wires 21 and 10 to the source Z and thenceby'wires 9 and-22 to switch device H, thus connecting the springterminals, as h, with signal L and source Z a wire. 23 leads from theswitch device H to the signal light L and thence by wire 24 to source Zand thence by wire 25 back to switch device H a wire 26 leads from theswitch device H to signal light L thence by wires 27, 21 and 10 tosource Z and thence by wires 9 and 28 back to switch H a wire 29 leadsfrom switch device H to signal light L and thence by wires 30 and 24 tosource Z and thence by wires 25 and 31 back to switch H a wire 32 leadsfrom switch device H to signal light L and thence by wires 33, 21, 27and ,10 to source Z and thence by wires 9 and 34 back to switch H; awire 35 leads from switch device H to signal light L thence by wires .36and 24 th source Z and thence by wires device Hi to signal light L",thence by wires v 42 and 24 to source Z and from thence by wires 25 and43 back to switch device H.

In the embodiment of my invention herein shown if the up button, as P,be momentarily operated the electromagnet, as M, will be energized, itsarmature, as m, attracted, moving the elbow lever connected therewithand forcing the controller, as C from its normal or inoperable conditionor position into its set or operable condition or position where theswitch devices, as H and H,

can be operated by the upward movement of one of the respectivecarriages, as D and D, the first carriage passing the controlleroperating its switch device and restoring the controller, with itsswitch devices, to the normal or inoperable condition or position. Inaddition to the movement of the controller into its set or operablecondition or position for giving the signal to the intending passengerby magnet M and armature m such controller, carrying the movable memberof the switch device J, moves such movable member into contact with itsfixed member thereby closing the circuit and operating the up signaldevices corresponding to that floor in all of the elevator cars, thussignaling the operator of each car that a person is at that instant,waiting at that .floor tobe taken aboard by the first apiproaching car,and has also set the'controller so that such person will be signaledwhich one of the plurality of cars is the first to approach the floor inthe direction he signaled he desired to go. The restoring of thecontroller to its normal or inoperable condition or position by themovement 'of the carriage past it, as hereto-fore explained,

breaks the circuit 'at the device J and the electromagnets 0 of the upsignal devices in all of the cars are deenergi'z'ed and the openings :0in the cases, as B and B, are closed by the caps or covers 0. by meansof the usual springs commonly used to return armatures to their normalpositions.

It will thus be seen that the operator of each of the plurality of carsis simultaneously signaled at the instant that the push button device isoperated by reason of the closing of any one-of the switch devices, asJ, J, etc. and movement of its respective controller and that suchsignaling continues until the first one of the plurality of cars goingin the direction the passenger signaled he desired to go reaches thefloor from which the signal was given. Also that upon so operating suchpush button device the respective floor signal for the passenger is set,or brought into operable condition, or moved from its normal orinoperative position to its operative positionor condition, ready forthe first approaching car, going in the direction signaled, to operatesuch floor signal when such car has reached a predetermined point in itstravel relatively to such floor, also that such car as it passes endwisemovement of such controller until it and its several switch devices arerestored or returned to their normal or inoperative position, and thesignal devices cease to operate.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described above isonly one of the many embodiments or forms the invention may take, and Ido not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention nor in tiny.lcllaims to the particular embodiment set ort That I claim as new is:

1. In an elevator signal apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cars,a passengers button, a movable member, and means whereby said member isadapted to be dis placed by the operation of said button, said movablemember corresponding to the said button and corresponding to all thesaid cars in common, floor-signal circuit-s including floor signals forindicating the direction of movement of said cars, means movingcorrespondingly to said cars and cooperating with said movable member toclose said floor signal circuits, and a car signal circuit includingsignals in the cars, and means for closing said car signal circuitthrough the medium of said movable member.

2. In an elevator signal apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cars,a passengers button, a movable member, and means whereby said member isadapted to be displaced by the operation of said button, said movablemember corresponding to the said button and corresponding to all thesaid cars in common, floor signal circuits including floor signals forindicating the direction of movement of said cars, means movlngcorrespondingly to said cars and cooperating with said movable member toclose said floor signal circuits, 3. car signal circuit includingsignals in the cars, means for closing said car signal circuit throughthe medium of said movable member, and means for returning said movablemember to open said car signal circuit when any car arrives at apredetermined point.

3. In an elevator signal apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cars,a passengers button, a movable member, and means whereby said member isadapted to be d1 splaced by the operation of said button, said movablemember corresponding to the said button and corresponding to all thesaid cars in common, floor-signal circuits including floor signals forindicating the direction of movement of said cars, means movingcorrespondingly to said cars and cooperating with said movable member toclose said floor-signal circuits, and arranged to return said movablemember, and a car signal circuit including signals in the'cars, andmeans for closing said car signal circuit through the medium of saidmovable member.

4. In an elevator signal apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cars,a passengers button, a movable member, and means whereby said member isadapted to be displaced by the operation of said button, said movablemember corresponding to the said button and corresponding to all thesaid cars in common, floor signal circuits including floor signals forindicating the direction of movement of said cars, means movingcorrespondingly to said cars and cooperating with said movable member toclose said floor signal circuits, a car signal circuit including signalsin the cars, means for closing said car signal circuit through themedium of said movable member, means for returning said movable memberto open said car signal circuit when any car arrives at a predetermined,point, and means for yieldingly holding said movable member in itsnormal position and yieldingly in its displaced position.

5. In an elevator signal apparatus, in combination, a plurality of cars,a passengers button, a movable carrier, and means Whereby said carrleris adapted to be displaced by the operation of said button, said carriercorresponding to the said button and corresponding to all the said carsin common, floor signal circuits including floor signals,circuit-closers therefor carried by said mov- [SEAL Signed and sealedthis 20th day of October, A. D. 1914.

able carrier and travelers moving correspondingly to said cars andadapted to actuate said circuit-closers to close said floor signalcircuitsfcar signal circuits including signals in the cars and means forclosing the same through the agency of said carrier.

6. In an elevator signal system, in combination, a plurality of cars, apassengers button, a movable member, and means whereby said member isadapted to be displaced by a movement of said button, and correspondingto all the cars, a signal circuit to the cars, and means for closingsaid circuit through the agency of said movable member and the openingof said circuit through the movement of the said cars.

7. In an elevator signaling apparatus in combination, a car, a movablemember corresponding to a floor and corresponding to one direction ofmovement for said car, a second movable member corresponding to anotherfloor and corresponding to the same direction of movement of said car, apassengcrs button at each floor, and means Whereby the said membercorresponding-to that, floor is adapted to be displaced by the operationof its corresponding button, a signal circuit corresponding to .eachfloor normally I open at'a single point'and including a signal in thecar corresponding to that floor and arranged to be closed by thedisplacement of the corresponding movable member, a floor signal circuitincluding a floor Signal for each floor, and a traveler movingcorrespondingly to the car and'cooperating with the movable membercorresponding to that floor to close the floor signal circuit.

HENRY F. NEWBURY. Witnesses:

F. E. NEWBURY, ANN PEACE.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,112,379, grantedSeptember 29, 1914 1113011 the application of Henry F. Newbury, of NewYork, N. Y., for an improvement in Elevator Signal Systems or Apparatus,an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 1, line 88, for the Word my read by; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

J. T. NEWTON,

Acting (Commissioner of Patents.

